The present invention relates to methods for manufacturing liquid supply systems, and liquid ejection apparatuses.
Generally, an inkjet printer is known as a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects liquid onto a target. The printer includes a recording head located in a reciprocating carriage. Ink (liquid) is supplied from ink cartridges (liquid retainers) to the recording head. The ink is then ejected from nozzles formed in the recording head onto a recording medium, or the target, thus performing printing. More specifically, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-262092, an on-carriage type inkjet printer is known. In this printer, ink cartridges are installed in a carriage. Also, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-323430, an off-carriage type inkjet printer is known. In this printer, ink cartridges are installed at a position separate from a carriage in the printer.
In an on-carriage type printer, the space for accommodating ink cartridges in the carriage is limited. This reduces the capacity of the ink cartridges. Thus, if printing load of the printer is increased, it is necessary to replace the ink cartridges repeatedly, which is troublesome. Also, the running cost of the printer is raised. To solve this problem, the on-carriage type printer may be modified to an off-carriage type by connecting an external large-capacity ink tank to the ink cartridges, which are received in the carriage.
However, as in the off-carriage type printer of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-323430, the ink cartridges are connected to the recording head through ink supply tubes. Ink is thus supplied from the ink cartridges to the recording head through the ink supply tubes. Normally, a damper is arranged between the downstream end of each ink supply tube and the recording head for absorbing rocking of the ink, which is caused by reciprocation of the carriage.
Thus, when connecting the external ink tank to the on-carriage type printer to modify the printer to the off-carriage type, the dampers must be removed from the original locations and reinstalled at the ink cartridges, which are accommodated in the carriage. When any of the ink cartridges becomes empty, that ink cartridge is discarded together with the damper. The damper is thus wasted. This also makes it necessary to install a replacement damper in the printer, which increases costs.